Showtime’s documentary series ‘Catching Lightning’ revolves around the rise and fall of “Lightning” Lee Murray, who was lauded as the next big thing in MMA in the early 2000s. Lee made a mark in the MMA scenes of the United Kingdom before making a move to the United States to train under and with the best. Although he was a passionate athlete, his fighting career got cut short when he was arrested for robbing Securitas depot in 2006 as a part of a gang. Intrigued by his life story, we have found out how much his net worth was at the time of his arrest. Here’s what we can share about the same!
How Did Lee Murray Make His Money?
Lee Murray was born on November 12, 1977, in Greenwich, a small town in southeast London, England. He completed his statutory years of education at Foxfield Primary School, Eaglesfield Boys School, and Woolwich Polytechnic School. According to Howard Sounes’ ‘Heist: The True Story of the World’s Biggest Cash Robbery,’ Lee and his best friend Paul Allen, one of the robbers who robbed the Securitas depot along with the former, trafficked drugs from a very young age, using the money he got from doing the same on luxury cars. Lee’s life eventually changed when his mixed martial arts career kickstarted.
Lee’s explicit source of income was fighting. He made his debut in “Millennium Brawl” on May 5, 1999, winning against Rob Hudson in the first round. He then participated in “Ring of Truth 1” and won against Mike Tomlinson. Lee then went to the United States to take part in “Extreme Challenge 34.” Although he won his first fight against Chris Albandia, he lost his second against Joe Doerksen. After one no-contest and draw results in 2000 and 2001 respectively, Lee returned to winning ways at “MB 3: Independence Day,” defeating Gary Warren. The fighter then fought in “Millenium Brawl 7” and “Millennium Brawl 8,” defeating Kama Boumna and Amir Rahnavardi respectively.
Lee made his UFC debut at “UFC 46: Supernatural,” which happened at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. He defeated Jorge Rivera in the first round at the event. His final MMA fight before his arrest happened at “Cage Rage 8.” He fought Anderson Silva, only to get beaten by him in the third round. Although Lee was yet to become one of the biggest fighters in MMA, he led an affluent lifestyle that stunned his peers and mentors. His yellow Ferrari, generous tips, and luxurious gifts made MMA promoter Dave O’Donnell, his coach Pat Miletich, and friend and then-fellow fighter Tony Fryklund wonder about Lee’s earnings. According to reports, he allegedly was involved in drug dealings.
Lee Murray’s Net Worth at the Time of His Arrest
In the early 2000s, emerging MMA fighters weren’t earning enormous money for the fights. Georges St-Pierre, a three-time former UFC Welterweight Champion, made his UFC debut for $3,000 to show and $3,000 to win. Since Lee Murray made his debut in the same year, his earnings must have been around such a figure per match at the time. Considering that Lee did win two-thirds of his professional matches, he must have earned well in the English MMA events. In light of these factors, Lee Murray’s net worth at the time of his arrest could be estimated to be around $500,000.
Read More: Where is Lee Murray Now? When Will He Get Released From Prison?